(Photo: Patricia Vicente/WCSN)
After nine consecutive road matches traversing from California to Texas to Tucson, No. 47 Arizona State is playing its first match in the friendly confines of its home court in Tempe on Tuesday morning for a midweek matchup against Delaware. It is the first time the Sun Devils will play at the Whiteman Tennis Center since their 4-3 victory over then-No. 41 San Diego back on Feb. 24.
“It’s going to be a lot of tough battles this week,” Hill said, “but the guys are looking good, they feel ready and they seem ready. This week is going to be a fun challenge.”
Tuesday’s face-off will be the first of four home matches slated this week for ASU (8-10). The Sun Devils play five home matches total before hitting the road next.
“We always love being home and playing in front of our home crowd,” coach Matt Hill said. “Having four matches in one week is exciting and it’s a big week for us.”
Delaware (13-7) comes into Tuesday’s match having already participated in a doubleheader the day before, a split trip after a 4-2 loss to Arizona Christian and 4-3 win over Ottawa. Tuesday will be another doubleheader for the Blue Hens as they will face Grand Canyon later in the afternoon.
Despite not playing a common opponent or Pac-12 foe this season, Delaware does boast one contest against a ranked team this season: a 6-1 loss to then-No. 23 Pennsylvania.
After two straight losses to ranked, top-10 opponents in Texas, ASU faced another tough opponent in its last match. Although the team returned to Arizona, it traveled to Tucson to take on its rival, No. 25 Arizona. The Sun Devils were able to escape with a 4-2 victory, marking the program’s second win over a top-25 opponent since it was reinstated last season (the team defeated then-No. 13 Michigan earlier this year as well).
Graduate transfer Justin Roberts is riding a six match winning streak in singles play and has been one of the most consistent performers in the back half of the Devils’ schedule thus far. No. 55 Nathan Ponwith has also contributed an insurgence of grit and tenacity throughout the team’s lineup.
ASU has also secured 12 doubles points this year in 18 matches. That already exceeds their 2018 total with seven regular season contests still remaining. The Sun Devils’ two ranked pairings, the No. 18 junior duo of Ponwith and Dominik Kellovsky and No. 56 sophomore tandem of Tim Ruehl and Andrea Bolla, continue to play at high levels to help the team gain the advantage.
After the midweek match, ASU jumps back into Pac-12 action over the weekend with bouts on Friday against No. 31 Oregon and Sunday against Washington. Sunday will also be a doubleheader as the Sun Devils will play an evening match against Grand Canyon to finish off the intense week.
